Sunday Devotional

Falling Away
John 6:60-71

Often times, people who are new to Christianity find that what they expected or hoped to find by accepting Christ is not what they get. Instead of being easy, walking with Christ often proves difficult. Trials come. Life hits them hard. Sometimes, one hit is all it takes to get that person to fall away. Other times, it’s several hits, but the result is the same. So who is left standing?

Only the one who is relying on Christ.

Only the one who leans upon him, whose feet are braced by his strength and power is left standing until he comes again. Take a look at the people around you--the ones you work with and love. How many of these will fall away when the walk gets difficult? How many will be left standing with Christ a year from now, or two years from now? Remind them--and yourself--of Peter’s answer when the Lord asked him if he too, would turn away. Where would we go? Only Christ has the words of eternal life.

60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”

61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.

65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”

66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”

68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?”

71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.